Sandra (Sandy) Farr (Rush)

My husband Ben and I were married 47 years before he passed last year.  I miss him terribly but they were 47 excellent years.  He enjoyed hearing me read the postings - and I enjoyed sharing them!

--Sandy (Farr) Rush

Warren Sapir

My wife Jan and I have been married for 46 years.

Judith Johnston (Tandowsky)

I am saddened to report that my beautiful wife and your classmate Judith Johnson Tandowsky has passed away after a long bout with cancer. Doctors gave her two and a half years when she was diagnosed but she lasted six. Always over achieving! She was the light of my life and I know she was proud to have helped plan the last reunion. Thanks to all of you who knew her and welcomed her into your lives. She will truly be missed.

with sorrow,

Ross Tandowsky 

MaryJane McCormick (Smith)

My heartfelt condolences on your loss.  Blessings on her and you both.  Remember the good times and she will forever be with you.

Sandra (Sandy) Farr (Rush)

Judi and I stayed in touch throughout the years, but sadly after my husband died I didn't respond to very many.  In going through old papers I found a card Judi sent me last year recalling our friendship and highlights there of - riding in my grandmother's pink station wagon, trips through 19 and many more precious memories. I wish I'[d been better this last few years about keeping in touchl but knowing Judi, she's telling Ben all about our past exploits.  I loved her very much and wish I had a chance to tell her so - but somehow I think  she knows  I'm so glad I was able to talk with Ross shortly before Judi passed 

- she had so many questions about the Lord - now  she kmows in full: 

Sandy (Farr) Rush

Ben Fong-Torres

Thank you, Ross, and thank you, Judi, for being a light among our entire Class of '62, for being a wonderful member of our reunion committee and then, after the event, for taking on the reins of our finances, at US Bank. We are in good shape for future events and/or donations to educational causes, thanks to Judi. We will carry on, but always with memories of a lovely classmate.

Jim Hayford

Can anyone help me out with information about my friend and teammate (Football).  I understand he passed-away several years ago.  Do you have any details about his life/death that you could share with me?  Thanks, Jim Hayford

Jim Hayford

Sorry.  Forgot to mention his name!  Jim Hughes.

John Swartzberg

Congratulations, Ben, on all of your accomplishments.  While reading the wonderful article about you in yesterday's SF Chronicle (10/3/21), I had an enormous smile on my face!

Wendell Brown

happy birthday to, my lovely young friend, nene Johansson. 

Ben Fong-Torres

Classmate Bob Welsh's daughter, Wendy, has written: "I am sorry to inform you that my father passed away on April 19th. He had a very bad fall and was unable to recover fully. I was here with him; I am grateful for that. He is missed dearly." 

For more on Bob, see the story on the Home Page. Wendy would be happy to hear from classmates. You can post your message here, and Kathy Bramlett MacLennan, a childhood buddy of Bob's, will ensure that Wendy gets it. Thank you.

Ben Fong-Torres

Dear Classmates,

Barbara Underwood (Sullivan) wonders how many there were of us in the Class of '62.

Offhand, I don't remember.  We had the full list 'way back when we were organizing the first couple of reunions, but that stuff is in storage. 

If you do know, please post a message, or write me at fongtorres@gmail.com and I'll give the figure to Barbara.

Thanks and take care.

--Ben

Ben Fong-Torres

Thanks to Mike Ackley, who put his computer to use, we have a possible answer for Barbara Underwood's question: how many were there in the OHS Class of 62?

He says we numbered 713. 

Do you agree?

Jim Wayne

Dear Wendy. 
My sincerest condolences to you and your family. Bob was a gentle and kind soul. He always smiled and quietly offered greetings with a shy nod.  He was easy to know and well liked among fellow classmates. Warm regards, Jim Wayne

Gary Zellweger

Ben, and the rest of you.

  It could be age had subverted my memory but as I recall we graduated in two sessions.  I recall they were we in excess of 400 students.  I suppose one cound count the year book pictures but then we would only get the number for those who attended class often enough to be there on picture day :).

Chgeers, Gary

Ben Fong-Torres

Gary,

Yeah, I'm thinking it was around 600. So, oh, all right, I'll go and get my OHS Reunion carton and find the original class roster, which I think we got from Oakland High itself.

Will post any results here and on the Home Page.

cheers,

Ben

Ben Fong-Torres

OK. I counted the senior photos in the yearbook, plus 33 who were not pictured.

Total: 661. From Mel Abrams to Jeanne Zimmerman. One of three Z's, alongside Gary Zellweger (varsity track, Key Club and Drew Cup Speaker) and Dave Ziebell (dance band and varsity gymnastics.) Jeanne was in the Class Council, she was a Delegate Assembly alternative (not unlike Frances Kroll being my alternate Senior Ball date) and Oaken Bucket salesman--or, now, salesperson. And what about Mel? He was in the Bowling Club and a member of Student Control.

Cheers to all of us.

Jeani (Irmajean) Golish (Mills)

Ben, Does your final count include the many students of the class of 62, who didn't graduate with us because they had transferred to the new "Skyline High School"?

Ben Fong-Torres

Hey there, Jeani,

I counted who I said I counted: those pictured in the yearbook, plus the 33 listed as not pictured. That's all I can do.

Cheers to you & yours.

Jim Wayne

I understood about 650 

Barbara Underwood (Sullivan)

It's too bad we couldn't have gotten togeher for our 60th class reunion.  Something much simpler would have possibly worked such as just a lunch reservation at some hotel.  Just a thought.

Michael Ackley

Giffy's passing was unexpected, though, like most of us, she was an octogenarian, and octogenarians should keep an eye out for the grim reaper Carolyn was full of life, so her death is a reminder to live to the fullest, for the turning of every day is laden with unexpected peril and the next sunrise is uncertain. It put me in mind of the words of Ecclesiastes, chapter nine:

"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them."

Those of us who will see tomorrow's sunrise would do well to read Giffy's personal notes on this Web site. She lived life fully and was an example for all of us.

Janet Stromberg (Rector)

Amen, Michael!!!!

John Swartzberg

Thank you, Michael, for your thoughtful words and rembrance.

Carolyn Rickard

Michael, master wordsmith, thank you for your thoughtful post honoring Carolyn's warmhearted and gregarious spirit and reminding all of us serendipitous octogenarians to give thanks for each sunrise and savor each day.